Preserving
Cycling Culture
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Maria Galhardo, president of Ciclaveiro, explains how this NGO has been working to reverse this trend, promoting sustainable mobility and advocating for bicycles as an essential tool to tackle the challenges of modern cities.
Context
In Portugal, the use of bicycles has increased in recent years in major cities like Lisbon and Porto. However, in municipalities where cycling has always been a deep-rooted practice, such as Murtosa and Ílhavo, both in the Aveiro district, there has been a significant drop in the number of users. Recent data shows that this decline exceeds one-third.
The bicycle workshop run by Augusto and Maria Morais is a symbol of resistance from an era when bicycles reigned supreme in Murtosa. Hidden behind thousands of tools and worn-out parts, the shop’s walls hold stories of times when entire families would come to buy or repair their bikes. Today, customers are few, but that doesn’t discourage Augusto.
Augusto Morais
“In the past, my shop was full of bicycles—touring bikes, racing bikes. But it started to decline six or seven years ago”
“I ride my bike every day—2 km here, 2 km there. I’m proud of it.
I don’t consider myself old yet.
I can still fight a little, to show that I’m still pedaling!”
Augusto Morais,
Bike workshop owner at Murtosa
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Beyond the health benefits, Jorge appreciates the comfort and freedom bicycles provide: “Cars don’t give me comfort. On the contrary. With a bike, I stop right at the office door. If I want a coffee, I park my bike right next to the table on the terrace—that’s a luxury.”
In this video, three voices come together to showcase how citizen mobilization has been essential in preserving Aveiro's cycling culture. In this context, the international event Kidical Mass, which brings together people of all ages to advocate for more safety and public space, serves as the perfect stage to intertwine these stories. "It’s important to have these children on the streets, to show adults, citizens, and policymakers that they need to have a place in the city. It’s urgent," says Maria Galhardo.
Image · Pedro Lopes, Inês Rueff
Producer · Inês Rueff, Eduardo Militão, Malaurie Chokoualé
Interviews · Inês Rueff
Editing · Tito Olias, Inês Rueff
Executive Production · Martin Vendel, Gautam Rao
Image · Pedro Lopes, Inês Rueff Producer · Inês Rueff, Eduardo Militão, Malaurie Chokoualé Interviews · Inês Rueff Editing · Tito Olias, Inês Rueff Executive Production · Martin Vendel, Gautam Rao
Credits
Special thanks to
Jorge Nascimento
Maria Galhardo
Augusto Morais
Maria Morais
Familias do Kidical Mass
Colaboradores Ciclaveiro
Client
EIT - Urban Mobility
To learn more about
Urban Mobility Explained